Adjustable float valve for oil



Sept. l2, 1939. J. wlDMAN ADJUSTABLE FLOAT VALVE FOR OIL BURNERS INVENTOR;

Filed Feb. 2l, 1938 and claimed.

Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT o ADJUSTABLE FLOAT VALVE FOR OIL BURNERS 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an adjustable float valve for oil burners, and particularly orchard heaters and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described It is an object of the invention to provide a novel adjusting means for regulating the flow of fuel oil to a burner, thereby regulating the flame of a burner.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel construction of needle valve and float assembly, means Ibeing associated with the float for adjusting the level thereof with corresponding adjustment of the needle valve.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a iioat and needle valve assembly of extreme simplicity susceptible to ready'installation and which is liable in a minimum degree to derangement.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear from the following description considered in` conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of the valve installed.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the adjusting knob.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the valve block illustrating the mounting of the float lever.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional View of a modified form of adjusting means for the iioat lever.

Figure 5 is a detail of a further modiiied form of adjusting means.

There is illustrated a float valve reservoir I 0 which may be of any desired capacity, including a removable cover II. Adjacent the base of the reservoir an aperture I3 is formed for reception of a pipe fitting I4 which is screw-threaded into the aperture and secured by a nut I5. 'I'he outer end of the fitting I4 provides connection with a fuel line from a reservoir or pipe line (not shown), and the inner end is threadedly engaged in an aperture I6 of a valve block I1 which will be presently described. The reservoir also includes a pipe tting I2 for connection with a burner, not shown.

A support bracket I8 is secured to a wall of the reservoir I0, the lower end being apertured to receive the inner end of the fitting I4 therethrough and as shown in Figure 1, the bracket is positioned between the wall of the reservoir and the valve block I1 and is thus secured. However, a bolt and nut I9 affords further rigidly to the bracket. At a point iiush with the FEICE- f upper edge of the valve block I1, the bracket is bent inwardly to provide a loop portion 20,*and extending longitudinally of the loop 23 therel is a slot 2l, which functions as a guide for a iioat lever 22. 'I'he upper end of the bracket I8 stops short of the upper edge of the reservoir and is bent at right angles defining an arm 23 which it will be noted lies in a plane parallel to the iioat lever 22.

The arm 23 has a downwardly directed inter'- nally threaded -boss 24 and adjacent the extremity an aperture 25 is formed for anchorage of a tension spring 26 as will be describedfl The cover I I has an upstanding collar 21 delining an aperture 28 aligned with the boss 24v of the arm 23, the -boss having threadedly engaged therein a stud 29 of a length extending above the collar 21. The upper end of the stud 29 has an axially threaded bore 30 receiving a screw 3| for securement of an operating kno-b or cap 32. 'I'he knob 32 preferably includes a downturned skirt circumscribing the collar 21, preventing ingress of water to the reservoir I 0. The cover I I also includes a stop pin 33 cooperable with a finger 34 of the knob, and also, the cover will include graduations 35 to indicate certain positions of the iioat and valve when the knob is rotated.

T'he lower end of the stud 29 has a smooth bore 36, freely receiving the upper end of a rod 31, the lower end of which is pivotally connected with the float lever 22, as shown. The rod 31 is provided adjacent its lower end with an aperture 38 for anchorage of the other end of the spring 26, the latter drawing the rod 31 into the bore 36 as well as tending to draw the lever 22 upwardly.

The float lever 22 has one end disposed within the slot 2|, the other end carrying a oat 39, and at a suitable point between the pivotal connection of the rod 31 and the loop 20, there is pivotally mounted a needle valve 40 reciprocably mounted in a bore 4I formed in the valve block I1. The bore 4I has an inlet port 42 opening upon the reservoir controlled by movement of the valve 40, the latter also regulating the opening 43 which establishes communication with chamber 44, of the valve block.

In use, with the regulator installed with a burner and it is desired to increase the ow of fuel, the knob 32 is rotated clockwise to a point desired, as indicated by the graduations 35. Such rotation of the knob raises the stud 29, allowing the spring 26 to raise the float lever 22 with consequent raising of the needle valve 40, increasing the I'low of fuel through the ports 42, 43 and l chamber 44. To decrease the flow of fuel, the

knob would be rotated counter-clockwise, causing downward movement of the rod 31, which obviously causes restriction of fuel through the ports 42-43 and the chamber 44.

In Figure 4, I have illustrated a modified form of the regulating means wherein a bracket IS-a comprises a laterally extended arm 23--11'I apertured as at 24-a to reciprocably receive a rod 31-a. Adjacent the upper end of the rod ST-a it is threaded for engagement in a threaded collar 21-a form-ed in the lid H-a, The upper end of the rod 31-a has a skirted knob 32-a from which there extends an indicator pointer 34-a cooperable with a sto-p pin 33-a. At a suitable point upon the rod 31-a below the arm 23-a a collar or pin 45 is provided, and a helical spring 46 is positioned upon the rod, interposed between the arm 23-a and the collar 45.

The lower end of the rod 31-a will be connected with the float lever as previously described. In this form the spring 46 tends t0 move the rod 31--a downwardly, and adjustment of the float is regulated by turning of the knob 32-a.

In Figure 5, I have illustrated the rod S'F-b as having left-handed screw threads 41 engaged in a threaded bore 48 of an adjusting stud 49, the latter carrying the knob 50 for rotating the stud. The stud 49 has exterior right-hand screw threads as at l, engaged with a threaded aperture of a bracket 52.

rotation of the knob will produce downward movement of the float lever.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a means for regulating the flow of fuel oil to a burner, of simple and few moving parts and well adapted to installations employing a gravity or pressure feed supply, and while I have shown and described preferred constructions, this is by way of illustration only, and I consider as my own all such modifications in structure as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a reservoir, a bracket upon an inner wall thereof, said reservoir having an outlet, a valve block in communication with the outlet, said valve block having a Yvertical port and a lateral port, the latter opening upon the reservoir and the vertical port, a reciprocable valve in the vertical port, a lever having pivotal connection with the valve, a float carried by the free end of the lever, an arm on the bracket extended in a plane substantially parallel to the lever, said arm having a threaded boss, a closure for the reservoir having an opening in registry with the boss, a threaded stud engaged in the boss, the lower end having a socket, a cap o-n the other end of the stud, a rod pivotally connected to the lever, one end having engagement with the socket, and spring means between the rod and the arm tending to raise the rod.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the cap includes a downwardly turned skirt circumscribing the opening in the closure, and further includes a laterally extended nger cooperable with a stop pin upon full rotation of the cap.

JOSEPH WIDMAN. 

